Fire extinguisher discharge indicator



March 8, 1955 s. E ALLEN 2,703,546

FIRE EXTINGUISHER DISCHARGE INDICATOR Filed Dec. ll, 1952 W Z fi@ 4 .6' 5 5 .9 JZ .9 g

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y f2/y f2 I I I l4-/ i wf- 5? @if ,Y V jg I2 J6 15 f6 I5 l INVENTOR. S corri/4L 45N Tra/@Naf United States Patent The present invention relates to lire extinguishers, and particularly to an indicator to indicate. a discharge of the lire extinguisher.

It is important that a tire extinguisher be fully charged at all times so` as to be ready for immediate use. In order to indicate that a discharge of the extinguisher has taken place, it has long been the practice to utilize a locking pin to prevent operation of the operating member of the extinguisher until the pin has been removed, the pin being sealed by the use of a wire seal so as to necessitate the breaking of the wire before the locking pin can be re- ICC The outer surface is shown in on the tire extinguisher. this figure with printing thereon.

Figure 6 corresponds to Figure 5 and shows the inner side of the rupturable means with its fastening means to secure the member in position on the lire extinguisher.

Figure 7 is a top View of the rupturable means with its ends secured together as when in position on a re extinguisher.

Figure 8 is a view corresponding to Figure 7 showing the rupturable means as it appears after being broken moved. Thus, the broken seal wire is an indication of the discharge. a

In some cases itl has been found that inexperienced users of the lire extinguishers -have failed to note the presence of the locking pin during an emergency and have been unable to operate the re extinguisher. In other cases, it has been found that tampering with the fire extinguisher has occurred and the broken wire seal replaced so as to simulate its original unbroken condition with the result that the extinguisher has not been recharged duringthe usual periodic inspections and vso has not been effective on a tire.

The present invention aims to overcome the difficulties and disadvantages of the prior devices by providing a re extinguisher discharge indicator which does not interfere with the normal operation of the extinguisher, and which, when the extinguisher is operated, is ruptured so as to clearly indicate that the discharge or operation of the extinguisher has occurred.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lire extinguisher discharge indicator which is simple and economical in manufacture, eflicient in operation and durable in use.

In accordance with the invention the foregoing objects are accomplished by providing rupturable means between the visible operating parts of the fire extinguisher, so arranged that upon the discharge, an indication thereof is given by the condition of the indicating means.

The discharge indicator in accordance with the invention is advantageous in that a written or printed notice may be placed thereon so as to inform even an inexperienced user of the fire extinguisher whether or not the extinguisher has been discharged.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example, an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates the top portion of a lire extinguisher with portions of the container and carrying handle broken away to clearly show the construction in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 illustrates a portion of the structure shown in Figure l but at a somewhat enlarged scale. In this figure the stop means for the rupturable means is made with an abrupt edge.

Figure 3 illustrates the structure shown in Figure 2 as appearing after a discharge has taken place and the discharge indicator has been ruptured.

Figure 4 illustrates a construction similar to that shown in Figures 1-3 excepting that the stop means is shown with a curved edge to facilitate the breaking of the rupturable means.

Figure 5 is a front side view of a preferred form of rupturable means before it has been placed in position by an operation of the lire extinguisher.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a lire extinguisher 1 including a container 2, shown partly broken away, and a discharge head 3. IA ring carrying handle 4 on the upper part of the discharge head 3 is shown part- 1y broken away to reveal an operating member 5 extendlilng thsrough a boss 6 into the main body of the discharge The container 2 is adapted to be charged with any desired re' extinguishing agent such as carbon dioxide, dry powder, water or other agent pressurized with a carbon dioxide cartridge. A filling opening at the top of the container 2 is closed by the discharge head 3 threadedly secured in position. A discharge outlet, not shown, may be fitted to the container in conventional manner.

The lire extinguishing agent may be expelled by pressure released from a carbon dioxide cartridge conventionally mounted on the underside of the discharge head 3. The various mountings for the pressurizing cartridge are not shown as they are well-known in the art and may take various constructions. However, in most of such constructions, the opening means for the cartridge is the reciprocable operating member 5 extending through the boss 6 and arranged to release the stored pressure medium when pressed inwardly, as upon an inversion of the extinguisher and its striking against a surface.y

In order to support the operating member 5, the boss 6 is made with an upwardly extending portion 7 of reduced diameter so as to extend under an overlying cap portion 9 of the operating member 5. Thus, the extension 7 acts as an outer guideway for the operating member extended through same and in addition acts as an inner guideway for the cap portion 9 so as to provide a strong construction able to withstand heavy usage.

As may be seen in Figs. `2 and 3, the upper portion of the boss 6 is made with an abrupt shoulder 10. Likewise, the lower edge of the cap member 9 is made with an abrupt shoulder 11.

In accordance with the invention a discharge indicator 12 is interposed between the operating parts of the extinguisher so as to be ruptured or broken when the parts are operated as upon a discharge. The discharge ndicator 12 may be made of any suitable material adapted to easily rupture upon the operation of the extinguisher yet must be strong enough to withstand ordinary handling without being broken or knocked away from its position.

A suitable material for the discharge indicator has been found to be 15 point 3 ply sulphide stock clay-coated paper, although any other suitable material may be satisfactory. In choosing the material for the discharge indicator, care should be taken to select a material thin enough to t in position between the shoulders of the operating member and stop members, yet not so thin as to jam in the space between the inner side of the cap member 9 and the outer surface of the extension 7.

Fastening means for the strip of frangible material is preferably of the non-openable snap type such as that disclosed in expired Patent No. 1,916,002. The snap means comprises a male portion 14 and a female portion 15 inserted in the ends of the strip of frangible material so that when the strip is positioned about the extension 7 to form a band thereabout, the discharge indicator may not be removed without destruction. Other suitable fastening means may be used to hold the strip in position, or, the ends of the strip may be attached together by adhesives or by stitching or the like. However, by reason of its facility of application, the non-opening snap fastener is preferred. Furthermore, it is desirable that the snap fastener be installed so as to bring the edges of the strip together in a parallel arrangement to provide a tab or aglike end 16 which may be colored red so as to attract .voagoee" y 4attention to the presence orto the absence of the discharge indicator. Furthermore, the face of the strip may be printed as shown in the drawing so as to inform a nonexperienced user that .damage tothe strip indicates a discharge of the extinguisher.

In the operation of the extinguisher, it isinverted and the `.operated member struck against a surface moving it inwardly so as to crush andrupture the discharge indicator as shown in Figs. 3 `and 8. In Fig, 4 the shoulder ofthe stop `member is shown as a ared surface 17. This .construction facilitates the rupture of the discharge indicator and tends to spread the lower surface thereof so that its rupture is more readily indicated.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that other emobiments may be resorted to without departing from the invention. Therefore, the form of the invention should be considered as illustrative and notas limiting the lscope of the `following claims.

I claim:

1. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a reciprocable operating member, shoulder means on the lower edge of the operating member, a stop member, shoulder means on the upper edge of the stop member, and a discharge indicator form of a strip of rupturable material having its ends attached together to form a ring'like shape interposed between the shoulders of the operating and stop members, whereby upon the recprocation of the operating member the rupturable strip is crushed providing a `visible indication of an actuation of the operating 30 ciprocable operating member, shoulder means on the loweredgeof the operating member, a stoprnember, 'shoulder means on the upper edge ofthe stop member, a discharge indicator interposed between the shoulders of the operating and stop members, the discharge indicator formed of a strip of rupturable material, and non-openable snap means at the ends of the strip to hold it in position about the operating member, whereby upon the recprocation of the operating member the rupturablc strip is crushed providing avisible indication of an actuation of the operating member.

3. In a re extinguisher, the combination of a reciprocable operating'member, shoulder means on the lower edge of the operating member, a stop member, shoulder means on the upper edge of the stop member, at least one of the shoulder means tiared, a paper strip, and a nonopenable snap member assembly holding the ends of the paper strip into a band shape, the ends of the strip held `togetherinparallel position so as to form a ag-like projection, the'strip interposed between the shouldersof the operating and stop members, whereby upon the `reciprocation of the operating member the paper strip iscrushed providing a visible indication of the operation of the operating member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

